Love Story
by contentment is beautiful
Summary: Based on Taylor Swift's song "Love Story". EllexClaire


Love Story

Odessa, Texas

Primatech Paper

5:00 pm October 14th, 1995

"One…two…three…four…five…umm…f-five…umm…f..fi…"

An eight year old Elle grunted loudly at which the counting blonde uncovered her eyes and jumped.

"Ugh, Claire, it's six! How are we supposed to play a proper game of hide and seek if you can't even get past FIVE? Don't they teach you how to count up to six in pre-school?! You even said yourself you knew how to count to uh-hundred!"

A bashful four year old Claire shrugged and slowly swiveled her body from side to side.

"Ugh. She's so stupid oh my God…" Elle muttered under her breath as she climbed on a few tall cardboard boxes in the upper level "paper room" where all the actual paper was. Elle sat with her knees bent up to her chest criss-cross in front of her with her arms latched around them. She watched Claire eye her and scowled at her occasionally just to see her eyes light up with fright and look away. That always got a good laugh out of her. After sitting in silence for a while Elle smiled wide and snapped.

"I've got it!" Claire jumped and dropped a roll of paper she had been trying to sneakily play with in the corner. She froze and waited for Elle to scold her, but Elle only leapt down from her box and began rearranging the ones around her in a tower. Claire cautiously walked up behind her and took a seat as Elle continued to lug the heavy boxes around.

"Elle, what are we playing?" She asked curiously from the concrete floor. Elle let out a sigh and smiled at her before she lent down in front of her outstretching her hands for Claire to grab. As Elle pulled little Claire up and brushed her off she explained, "We're going to play 'fairy tales'. Sound like fun?" Claire nodded her head enthusiastically as Elle laughed at her excitement.

"I know, I can't wait either! Ok so you're the girl and I'm the boy-"

"I'M THE PRINCESS!"

"SHHH!!" Scolded Elle. "Stop interrupting!" Claire covered her mouth with her hand so she wouldn't speak out again, joy evident in her eyes still. Elle couldn't refrain from smirking.

"Anyway, as I was saying before I was so RUDELY interrupted," continued Elle, "I'll be the prince, you'll be the princess. It's a love story."

"DOES THAT MEAN I GET TO-"

"CLAIRE!!" Groaned Elle as she stood up straight with her hands covering her eyes in stress. She began rubbing her temples, something she always saw her Daddy do, and shook her head. Claire looked down and held her hands in front of her, ashamed that she had done something Elle had told her not to do.

After a moment of composing herself, Elle squatted back down to get on Claire's level and smiled at her.

"Ok, now I'm going to explain how to play and you are going to listen. If you have any questions, you'll raise your hand after I'm done. Ok? Nod if you understand." Claire's head bobbed up and down with her little girl curls moving right along with it.

"Ok, so we just came back from the royal ball," Elle starts twirling the both of them around at which Claire starts to giggle, "and it's time for you to go back home! But you live in a royal castle because you're a…?"

"Princess!" Elle smiled at how happy it made Claire. She nodded and led her to the "steps" she had early created, smiling. "Very good! And if you're the princess that means I'm the…?"

Claire laughed out loud while answering, "Prince!" She and Elle were giggling as Elle held her hand while Claire climbed up the brown castle walls.

"That's right. Now you wait up there and I'll throw pebbles at your window to get your attention!" Elle began searching on the tables and floors as Claire sat with her feet dangling off the edge, kicking them shamelessly around.

"Ellllllle?" She asked. Elle smiled—she really did love this kid.

"Yyyyyyeeessssss?" Twirling her hair with one of her fingers, Claire scrunched up her face in confusion.

"How come you need a pebble?" Elle found a penny and dusted it off while getting up and examining it.

"Because," she said while walking over to Claire's balcony, "everyone throws pebbles at the window of the girl they love." Claire's face broke out into a wide grin. "You mean you love me, Elle!?" Elle giggled and thought for a moment. Claire didn't understand—she was too young. "Yes Claire," she said as she chunked the penny at the box next to Claire. She climbed up as Claire giggled softly until she was inches away from the younger girl's face.

"I love you." She said before kissing her lightly. When she pulled away she smiled and tucked a hair behind the girl's ear. Claire laughed excitedly and clapped her hands.

"Elle a prince is a BOY! You're not supposed to act like a boy if you're a girl!" Elle rolled her eyes and hopped off the boxes and aimlessly kicked ones that were out of place.

"Yeah, well, I'm not supposed to turn into electro-girl all the time, either. But I do that too." Claire didn't understand so she sat there, content to be a princess.

"Hey Elle?" Elle's head quirked up, ready to listen.

"Will you be my prince forever?" Elle melted at the question. She observed how honest Claire's face was. Young, adorable, innocent, and asking her about forever when she can't even think past having pizza for dinner. She shrugged and smiled inwardly. What could it hurt? It's not like Claire will actually remember a word of this conversation ten minutes from now.

"Sure Claire," she said, "I'll be your prince forever."

Just then a door opened and both girls froze. Two men were arguing as the stomping of leather on cement made its way closer and closer to them.

"Quick, Claire, get down! Get down!" Elle whispered as she rushed over to help the struggling Claire.

"I am telling you now, Bob, that is taking it too far! Who knows what kind of damage you're already straining on Elle? I won't stand for it!"

"You won't have a choice Bennet!"

"Damn you! Damn you and your right to think that you can experiment on our own daughters!"

Elle protectively put an arm out in front of Claire and stood in front of her, shielding her from the two adults. She lit up her arm and allowed small electrical sparks to zip and zap all across it. She still hadn't really gotten the hang of manipulating her powers just yet. Claire peeked out from behind her keeping safe. As the two men rounded the corner they froze at the sight.

"Claire!" Noah walked towards them as Elle's whole body started to zap. Claire backed away when one shocked her in the eye and fell backwards, crying. Elle immediately stopped and turned around frightened. Noah rushed to his daughters side and picked her up cooing words of consolation in her ear. He looked at Elle threateningly.

"You stay away from her, you hear me?" He hushed, pointing a shaky finger at Elle. Elle's heart broke—he didn't actually think she meant to hurt Claire, did he? His eyes grew with madness and anger as she slowly began backing away in fear.

"BOTH OF YOU!" He spat venomously at the Bishops. Elle was strong and held her ground, though all she wanted to do was run up and hold Claire as she heard her painful wailing turn into a different kind of sadness.

"LOOK I MEAN IT! DON'T YOU TOUCH HER BOB, OR CONSIDER YOUR DAUGHTER DEAD!" Elle's stomach jumped into her throat as she swayed a little, not believing what was unfolding. Claire's blaring her name after hearing this didn't help calm her nerves either. She dropped to her knees as she watched Noah run out with Claire's little body wrapped tightly around him, her face red from crying and eyes shining with tears as she reached a screaming and flailing arm out for Elle. Letting a single tear fall down her face, Bob came behind her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go, Elle. You won't be seeing the Bennet's anymore."

!#)(&#()&

Odessa, Texas

Odessa Elementary School Playground

11:00pm October 14th, 2005

Elle stood behind Claire on the school's swing set. She pushed her whenever she came close enough, ignoring the god awful squeak that followed, sending her little zaps with each thrust of her fingers against her back.

"So tell me again why I can't go to your prom with you?" Claire asked stubbornly. Elle sighed and pushed her hard, sending Claire to clutch tightly to the chain links and scrunch her legs up close to her body.

"Because, little Claire," Elle explained walking over to straddle a miniature pony on a flexible iron rod attached to the ground, "I am a senior, and seniors don't go to their prom with _freshman's_." Claire huffed and crossed her arms sitting still and evil eyeing Elle from a few feet away. Even with the dim light of the corner night lamp, Elle could still see the glare the girl was giving her. She didn't really care—she'd seen it a thousand times.

"And besides, do you really think that would blow over well? 'Hey, Daddy! I know! Let's stop the nightly torture for once so I can be a normal teenager and go to my prom! And oh, guess who's my date? Claire Bennet!'" Claire deflated, knowing how right Elle was. Elle got up from the rocking horse, covering up her emotions with sarcasm and crossing her arms across her chest defensively, as usual. "No, pom pom," she sighed into the night with her back towards Claire, "things…just don't work like that." They both sat in silence for a while until Claire had an idea. She got up from her swing and came from behind Elle, standing about a foot in front of her and fiddling with her fingers knowing Elle would probably make fun of her for hours after saying what she was about to suggest.

"Hey…I have an idea." Elle gave a sad smile and quirked an eyebrow up.

"I'm listening." She said softly. They often spoke quietly around each other since they'd been sneaking to see each other ever since Elle was old enough to figure out things a lot more on her own…which basically meant as soon as they were separated.

"Well, remember…remember how that one day, at Primatech…," both girls' faces grew stern at even the mentioning of it, "remember how we played fairy tales? You know, you were the prince, I was the princess…" Elle gave a crooked smile as she looked in disbelief at Claire.

"You mean, you actually remember that?" Claire allowed herself to look Elle in the eyes now that she thought that maybe she wouldn't be scolded for her childish antics just this once.

"Yeah, of course I do." Both of them stood staring at one another, neither ready to accept what they both felt. Claire eventually cleared her throat and looked away, causing Elle to do the same.

"Well I was thinking that maybe, umm, maybe…we could play again?" She whispered the end, looking up shyly through a few stray curls at her friend. Elle gave a wide smile down at her and nodded, loosening up again. Claire's smile turned bright as she jumped up and down clapping and thrust a power fist in the air.

"GREAT!" She exclaimed and turned on a dime rushing towards the actual playground area. Elle shook her head and laughed as she made her way over.

"God, you're such a cheerleader." She mocked just loud enough for Claire to hear. Claire grabbed a handful of rocks and threw them at Elle. Elle laughed as she dodged them and carefully crunched her way over to what she assumed was Claire's enchanted castle.

"Your castle's a lot nicer than I remembered it, Princess." Elle said as she smiled up to Claire. Claire leaned over the blue iron railing and grinned, her long curly hair dancing in the breeze. Elle continued, "You know, for a princess, you're not really dressed like royalty." Elle was in her usual stiletto's and business suit, hair straightened and make-up applied perfectly. Claire was in a tank top and pajama bottoms having been stolen with no notice in the middle of the night. She slouched and idly began chipping at the paint on the iron rod in front of her.

"'S not my fault we're always on your schedule…" She muttered, flustered that Elle couldn't just be with her without teasing her for over two seconds. Elle sensed Claire's discomfort and sighed, smiling up at her.

"Ok, ok, I'll give in." Claire stopped her actions and smiled brightly at her, clearing her throat and shaking her hair back into a high pony tail. "Oh, good knight, you are so dark! Haha, get it, Elle? Because it's night and it's dark and you're my knight in shining armor in a dark suit?" Elle rolled her eyes good naturedly and kicked at some rocks mindlessly. "Uh huh, Claire. Pun's are real cute on you." Claire pouted a little, thinking it was very intelligent, before continuing again, "Ahem, my dear, sweet prince! I am but a lowly princess, tired of being cooped up in her fathers kingdom, waiting for someone such as thee to come and whisk me away where there are no things such as lies! What say you to that, kind sir?" Elle, still not looking at Claire, stuffed her hands in her pockets and looked off intently into the distance.

"I say nay, sweet princess, there is no such place. We are the both of us trapped in a world which says we should not be, in kingdoms that say we will not be, with fathers that say we cannot be. It would require magic that I do not possess, and you've yet to acquire." Claire slumped visibly as a tear rolled down her face. Why couldn't Elle just pretend? She never really understood it. All Elle ever did was be realistic, so much so that they'd get in fights over it sometimes and wouldn't speak to each other for weeks. Elle finally looked at Claire after hearing a sniffle and watching her slap a tear away from her cheek angrily. If there was one weakness Elle Bishop had in this world, it was Claire Bennet in pain.

"But," continued Elle as she edged forward towards the iron ladder leading up to where Claire was standing, "I promise thee, young princess, that if I could I would give you everything you desired." Claire wasn't convinced—she was still feeling sad after what Elle had said.

"Oh yeah?" She sniffled. "Like what?" Elle began to slowly climb the metal obstacle in order to reach Claire, who was occasionally stealing glances at Elle out of the corner of her eye.

"Like winning that cheerleading competition next Sunday, those new shoes you won't stop talking about in the mall, an A in all of your classes…" she reached the top and lifted Claire's chin so she'd look up into her eyes, "being my date to the prom…" Claire looked up at her, shocked at the way Elle had worded it. It was a heavy offer. Neither girls had addressed their growing feelings about one another and the word 'date' was all too noticeable. Claire gulped and downcast her eyes for a moment in thought, reaching her hand up to pull Elle's hand away from her chin a little bit. She suddenly looked back up inquisitively, "Date?" She squeaked out. She cleared her throat a little and squirmed around, still holding on to Elle's hand. "I mean, uh, sorry…date?" She tried again saying it calmer than before. Elle fought desperately to control her nerves, knowing that one little slip of the hand and Claire could be fried. The young girl hadn't even developed her powers yet. She nodded her head and stammered, "Y-yeah. I mean. Well actually. What I mean is. Uhm…If you _want_ to be, that is…" After a moment of pondering on Claire's behalf she slowly smiled and looked up teasingly at Elle.

"But ELLE," she drawled out, "a prince is supposed to be a boy! You can't ask a princess to the prom if you're a girl!" Elle smiled widely in relief, seeing that Claire had given in and reciprocated her feelings. Elle took the last step up on the ladder, now being a few inches taller than Claire. Claire smiled up at her nervously as Elle ran her fingers through Claire's hair.

"Well, I suppose that's true, but then again," she leaned in slowly, feeling Claire's heartbeat increase where her hand was resting on her neck, "I'm also not supposed to be able to do this…" she let her lips linger in front of Claire's a moment longer before tenderly brushing hers against her own. Once Claire responded, Elle made sure to give her a few little zaps every now and then, only making Claire kiss her even more. Pulling back, the two rested their foreheads together as Claire tentatively placed her hand over Elle's that was grasping onto the iron bar that separated them.

"Hey Elle?" She breathed quietly not wanting to break the moment.

"Yeah, Claire?" Elle asked. Claire gave her another small kiss, delicious and delicate on her lips and pulled back slightly as their eyes fluttered open.

"Will you be my prince forever?" Elle smiled again, remembering the irony of the situation and how different everything was now. She kissed Claire once more, both of them smiling into it.

"Yes Claire," she promised, "I'll be your prince forever."

If Elle had tried to come get her for her prom, Claire didn't noticed. All dressed up in a beautiful gown, the youngest girl at school with a date to the prom cried for weeks on end when her date did not arrive at her window that night, or any night after.

!#(&#)(&#

Odessa, Texas

Underground Captivity Level

2:00am October 14th, 2008

Angela Petrelli held Elle back from this mission with absolutely no explanation as to why.

"Give me one good reason, Angie," Elle whined, "just one sound and just reason why I can't go on this mission. I can be a big help!"

"No, you can't, Elle. And stop pacing, for Christ's sake; you're giving me a migraine." Elle ignored her statement, infuriated that she couldn't go with Sylar and Peter to help capture an inmate let loose.

"Angela, maybe you're concerned for my well being, but I'm fine!" Elle was referring to Sylar's near murder that he did to her only a week prior. She had a speedy recovery now that the company had the blood of some regenerator Elle didn't know much about.

"Contrary to your belief, Miss Bishop, I am not at all concerned with your well being. Only that of my granddaughter's." Elle shook her head in confusion, her jaw dangling open in utter shock.

"What?! Are you kidding me! What does your granddaughter have to do with me going out and having fun?!" Elle was throwing a tantrum now, shooting at what looked like unimportant books and setting them on fire. They quickly fizzled out posing no real danger to either of the two women in the room. They both knew that, which was why Angela continued to sip her coffee.

"Oh, Elle, you have everything to do with my granddaughter." Elle rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"What? Did I, like, electrocute her once upon a time or something? Does she hate me now? Look, I swear, I won't zap or jolt her or anything, I'll just-"

"My granddaughter is not afraid of you, Elle." She interrupted softly. Elle began to grow uneasy. Was there another one of her out there? Was this girl more powerful than Elle? What was Angela talking about? She slowly sat down in the chair across from Angela's desk, never loosing her eye contact.

"Then why, exactly, am I not allowed to go on this mission? Is it even peace keeping like you said?" Angela nodded and put her coffee down, leaning back in her chair and pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, it is peace keeping, which is exactly why we need you to stay here." Elle grew frustrated again and bolted right back up, pacing around while Angela watched her calmly.

"So then, what, huh? How am I supposed to get this? If she isn't afraid of me, and I didn't zap her a long time ago, then who's to say I can't help them-"

"_Claire_ would not be so willing to join the fight her uncle Peter and I are fighting if she knew you were a part of the team, Elle." Elle immediately froze as soon as the name had slipped off her boss's tongue. _Claire was Angela's granddaughter?_ None of this made any sense. Her chest tightened and she found it hard to think, breathe, or move. No one had mentioned Claire to her since that day at Primatech. No one. Not ever.

Finally after a long period of waiting, Elle breathed out, "How did you…?" She could hear the cringe of Angela's chair as the woman leaned forward and readjusted in her seat.

"I can see the future, you know. I knew all the while when you two were growing up how things would turn out. How you felt towards her, how she felt towards you, how she felt when you abandoned her…"

"I did NOT abandon her!" Elle screamed in a rage as loose parchments and office supplies were blown back by the jolt she sent through the entire room. Angela caught her breath back after a moment and waited for Elle to calm down.

"Well why don't you tell her that?" She asked quietly. "She's in the doorway just behind you." Elle froze again not believing what was happening. Every waking moment of every single day she thought about Claire. How she was doing, how she felt towards her, if she was still alive. Hell, she even wondered what her powers were.

Slowly she turned around, standing face to face with an older, more mature Claire that startled her at first. Her hair was still long, but it was straight now. Her eyes held a pain that she wasn't used to seeing, and her face was stronger than before. Both girls froze. Claire had tears of anguish in her eyes as Elle struggled to maintain a proper breath.

"You…didn't lie to me…?" Claire whispered as a question. Elle shook her head vigorously, instinctively rushing closer to Claire in a means to comfort her.

"No, never!" She exclaimed as a hand reached up to push back Claire's hair. Claire jerked away from the touch before Elle's hand could even feel her skin. Elle stared at the suspended limb she had outstretched painfully. That was the first time Claire had ever denied her touch. She thought she was going to die.

"Why didn't you come!" Panted Claire as she yelled at Elle. Elle was shocked and stood back at Claire's sudden angst. She had never seen her like this. This new Claire was so foreign to her, and the pain kept gnawing at her stomach as she wondered if it was her fault.

"I waited for you!" Claire screamed as she sent a glass paperweight crashing to the ground, shattering in a million pieces. Claire started crying hysterically.

"I waited for you…you told me you'd come, but you didn't…you told me you loved me, but you don't…you _left_ me, Elle…_you LEFT me_…" Claire fell to her knees and tried her best to compose herself as her sobbing came in spurts.

"What? No! I do love you! Claire?" Elle watched in horror as a rather large piece of glass wedged itself into Claire's thigh.

"Claire!" She exclaimed and lunged forward, yanking the piece out of her leg. Claire looked through teary eyes, puzzled at what Elle was talking about. She looked down to see her leg healing itself and watched Elle's face turn from fear to shock.

"You…you're the regenerator…" she whispered in disbelief. It figures that Claire's blood would be the only thing that could save Elle. Claire watched her as her eyes grew wide. "Which would make you the electric partner they've been talking about. Sylar tried to kill you and my blood…?"

"…saved me." The two looked at each other for what felt like hours. Too much had happened in such a short amount of time. Claire was the first to back away into her corner of the room. Elle stood and carefully walked around, standing diagonally behind Claire close enough to see her clearly, but not touch her. Peter, Sylar, and Angela all shifted in awe and discomfort.

"First thing's first: Claire, welcome aboard." Claire stiffly nodded and glanced at Elle out of the corner of her eye. Both girls looked away sharply. Neither of them could believe how beautiful the other had become.

"Second: Peter, Gabriel, go check on our captives. Make sure everything's running smoothly." Both men nodded and left the room. Angela stood up from her desk as a mother would and let her guard down temporarily as she looked at the two girls.

"On the night Elle didn't show up, Claire," Angela said to the both of them, "she was busy being captured by her father and his assistant in a field near your house preparing her own dance for the two of you." Claire let out a small yelp as she tried to hold in her tears. Her heart had always told her something was not right, but her new lifestyle had taught her otherwise. Her childish ways had been buried the moment she realized she had to hide herself from the world.

"Elle." Angela paused looking directly at Elle. Elle stood there trying her best not to falter or look over at Claire who had fresh tears staining her cheeks. She nodded in her direction and walked out of the room, locking the doors behind her so the two couldn't escape. Neither moved for a long time. The only sounds heard were the occasional sniffle and shuffle. Elle watched as Claire would cough sharply and toss her hair back, refusing to turn around so she could make eye contact with her. She grabbed all of her courage and slowly took a silent step forward.

"…I have…an idea, Claire…" Claire froze at the sound of Elle's voice. It was thick with tears and remorse.

"L-let's play f-fairy tales." Claire gasped—she couldn't hold in the sob any longer. Elle began crying again as well. Taking more and more steps, she got closer to Claire.

"I'll b-be the prince and y-you'll be the p-p-princess…" Claire let an arm out and grasped on to a book end to keep steady. Elle kept slowly moving forward.

"But this time…I'll let you m-make a choice…" Elle slowly rounded on Claire and stood directly in front of her, bending over slightly to be on Claire's level.

"You can run away with me…or follow your own path…" Claire let out another whimper as Elle's mascara made two trails down to her chin. Elle lifted her hand cautiously to Claire's forehead and lightly cupped her cheek. Immediately Claire sighed into the touch, leaning into it and coughing from lack of oxygen. Elle scooted a little closer and lightly put her other hand on Claire's waist.

"So, princess, what decision do you make?" Elle held her breath in fear as she waited for a response. After a very long minute, Claire's eyes fluttered open and locked with Elle's, sending a shock other than electricity through her body. She lowered her eyes to her lips and very slowly leaned in, kissing them so feather light that both girls began crying all over again. When Claire pulled back a bit, she cradled Elle's head in her hands as she gave a watery smile.

"You are my prince. Forever."


End file.
